By Daire Walsh

Thursday May 17 2012

ST OLIVER PLUNKETT’S/ER 4-15; ROUND TOWER, CLONDALKIN 0-13

Jason Sherlock and Alan Brogan were the twin destroyers of Round Tower, Clondalkin in Russell Park yesterday evening, as St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh sent out an early signal of their intentions in this year’s Dublin Senior Football Championship.

They will now face either Raheny or St Mary’s, Saggart, who were set to battle it out in O’Toole Park today.

Round Tower had started the game with Ciaran Corrigan operating as a third midfielder in an attempt to stifle the Plunkett’s’ strong middle-third, but they suffered a set-back early on when former Dublin star Sherlock got the opening goal of the game just three minutes in.

This came just moments after a well-taken point from play by Alan Brogan, and the pacy corner-forward kept a cool head to round Keith Graham and slot the ball to the back of the Tower’s net.

Tower’s did start to settle as the half wore on, however, and they opened their account on five minutes courtesy of a Cathal Carty free, and the influential Carty was also on target from general play a couple of minutes later, cancelling out a point by the increasingly dangerous Sherlock.

Plunkett’s were continuing to impress with their intelligent use of the ball, and further points arrived through Sherlock and Gareth ‘Nesty’ Smith, but Tower’s scores from Carty and half-back Barry Keane kept just a goal between the teams.

The loss of full-back Tom Lyons to injury on 19 minutes was always going to be felt, though, and last year’s finalists increased their advantage to seven in the opening minute of stoppage time when full-forward Paddy McNulty palmed to the net from Smith’s pass across goal.

However, Tower’s did manage to bring the margin down to six (2-6 to 0-6) in time for the interval, thanks to points from James Kelly and Conor Le Strange, which came just before Smith’s second of the contest.

Plunkett’s were clearly not willing to let up, as they introduced the returning Bernard Brogan in time for the second period.

It was very much a team effort from Plunkett’s, though, and a third point from Smith, as well as a brace of scores from former Meath midfielder Anthony Moyles, kept the scoreboard ticking for Mick Galvin’s side.

Former Dublin panellist Ian Ward and Le Strange had picked off some nice points early on in the half for the Clondalkin men, but a barnstorming effort from corner-back Michael Brides moved Plunkett’s into an ominous eight-point lead.

Tower’s did cut into this lead thanks to the scoring prowess of Le Strange and Carty, but Plunkett’s ensured their victory with 16 minutes remaining when Sherlock flicked to an empty net via excellent approach work by Bernard Brogan.

Under the old square-ball rule, this goal would more than likely have been disallowed, but the amendment to the rule at this year’s Congress ensured that Sherlock registered his second major of the tie.

This score left Tower’s facing into an insurmountable deficit, and through Liam Connolly, Ward and Le Strange, they added to their tally.

Points for Plunkett’s from Alan Brogan (3), Bernard Brogan and Sherlock, as well as a routine Bernard Brogan goal on 54 minutes, eased Plunkett’s over the line and into the next round.

Scorers — St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh: J Sherlock 2-3, A Brogan 0-5, B Brogan 1-1, P McNulty 1-0, G Smith 0-3 (2f), A Moyles 0-2, M Brides 0-1. Round Tower’s, Clondalkin: C Carty (1f), C Le Strange (3f), 0-4 each, I Ward 0-2, J Kelly, B Keane, L Connolly 0-1 each.

St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh: P Brogan; R O’Connor, S Lyons, M Brides; C Walsh, L Fleming, D Lally; C Dunleavy, A Moyles; D Kelly, A Darcy, A Brogan; G Smith, P McNulty, J Sherlock. Subs: B Brogan for Darcy (h-t), P Houlihan for Kelly (49), P Bergin for Fleming (56), S Dunne for Moyles (58), E O’Sullivan for Dunleavy (60).

Round Tower’s, Clondalkin: K Graham; J Kelly, T Lyons, J McCarty; B Keane, I Ward, B Costello; S McGuinness, D Murray; J Joyce, C Carty, L Connolly; C Corrigan, C Le Strange, S Halpin. Subs: C McGrath for Lyons (19), M Smith for Halpin (49), P Stynes for Corrigan (54).

REFEREE: P McCabe (Fingallians).

– Daire Walsh